Although it is true that the emotional coloring of a speech may say
a lot about the character who delivers it, this may not
necessarily be linked to the verification of the truthfulness of
his or her statement; rather it may indicate unfulfilled
ambitions and an inability to see the self from the outside. The
character may truly believe that he or she deserves a better
life, but it may not be in
accord with the real state of affairs. For instance, when Uncle Vanya at the breaking point of his nervous tension, cries out
that he would have been a Schopenhauer were it not for
Serebryakov, he sincerely believes that the world has been
unfair to him. This would not be taken seriously, however,
unless other indications in the play directly or indirectly
suggest that Uncle Vanya had the potential to become a
distinguished figure. (134)